Method and Device for Downloading a File via a Network

1. A mobile device connected to a network, comprising: a network interface configured to couple the mobile device with the network, and a download controller, said download controller being configured to: upon receiving a request from a user of the mobile device to download a file via said network, check if the mobile device can handle the file, cause the mobile device to download the file if the mobile device can handle the file, and transmit a download request to a further device also connected with said network to cause the further device to download the file only if the mobile device cannot handle the file.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein said download controller is further configured to, prior to said transmitting the download request, query the user if the download request should be transmitted to the further device, and to perform said transmitting the download request only if the user confirms that the download request should be transmitted to the further device.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the download controller is further configured to query the user if; in case the mobile device cannot handle the file, the further device should convert the file to a format which can be handled by the mobile device, and, if the user confirms that the file should be converted, to transmit an indication that the file should be converted to said further device.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is further configured to receive a version of said file converted into a format the mobile device can handle from said further device.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein said checking if the mobile device can handle the file comprises at least one check selected from the group consisting of a check if a storage capacity of the mobile device is sufficient for the file, a check if a bandwidth of a connection to the network is sufficient to download the file within a predetermined time, and a check if the file has a file format processable by the mobile device.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is selected from the group consisting of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer and a portable gaming device.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein said network interface comprises circuitry to connect the mobile device to a mobile phone network.

8. A device connected to a network, comprising: a network interface configured to couple the device with the network, a mass storage, and a download controller, said download controller being configured to: receive a request to download a file via said network from a mobile device also connected to the network, and cause the device to download said file and store said file in said mass storage only if the mobile device cannot handle the file.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein said download controller is further configured to check if said file comprises a pointer to a further file, and to cause said device to download said further file and to store said further file in said mass storage if said file points to a further file.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein said download controller is further configured to convert said file into a format processable by said mobile device and to cause said device to transmit said file converted into said readable format to said mobile device.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein said converting comprises at least action selected from the group consisting of a conversion of file format, a change of resolution of graphics comprised in said file and conversion of said file into a data stream usable for streaming.

12. The device of claim 8 , wherein said device is selected from the group consisting of a network attached storage, a personal computer and a laptop computer.

13. A method, comprising: connecting a mobile device and a further device to a network; receiving a request to download a file via the network from a user, checking if the mobile device can handle the file, downloading the file to the mobile device if the mobile device can handle the file, and transmitting a download request to the further device coupled to said network only if the mobile device cannot handle the file.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising: receiving said download request at said further device, and downloading said file to said further device.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising: converting said file at said further device into a format which the mobile device can handle, and transmitting the converted file to the mobile device.